Board And Staff
Barbara Joe
CAFM – President
Barbara began her career as a Registered Social Worker in the 1980’s, then started a computer consulting business. Recognizing the need for technology and finance she began Certified General Accounting courses leading to a Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager designation.
Barbara began working for the Sechelt Band in the 1990’s as a coordinator for an employment program while studying accounting and was soon promoted to the full time position of Chief Financial Officer, a role she filled until 2005. In 2006 ready for a new challenge, Barbara agreed to return as the Chief Administrative Officer and continued in that capacity up to 2014.
Currently Barbara is now delivering training and consulting services in Financial Management and Governance, sharing her experience from working for a self-governing First Nation for many years and building management capacity with staff and elected officials.
Barbara is of Kaska Dena heritage, daughter of Martha Shorty, granddaughter of Yanima from Lower Post, BC. She has 3 grown children, Ashley, Sarah and Lakota.
President
Carol Reimer
CPA, CAFM – Vice President
Carol Reimer is the Chief Financial Officer for Carrier Sekani Family Services working out of the Prince George office. Carol joined CSFS in June 2000 and is currently looking after the Finance and HR/Payroll departments.
Carol is a Chartered Professional Accountant and has held a Certified Aboriginal Financial Management Certificate since 2003. She joined the board of AFOA BC in 2013 and currently holds the role of secretary and the education portfolio.
Carol believes in life-long learning and is proud to bring that passion to the board at AFOA BC. She is an active volunteer in her community teaching at the local YMCA, putting on running clinic’s for new and seasoned runners.
Carol is an active person outside of work enjoying running with friends, hiking and biking in the mountains nearby and spending time with her family.
Vice President
Trevor Morrison
CAPA – Vice President
Trevor Morrison has been a devoted member of AFOA BC since 1998 and has served on the AFOABC board since 2009. He received his Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator designation in 2017. Trevor specializes in business, financial and administrative management.
Trevor exceeds all expectations when it comes to his comprehension of leadership, time management, and complex problem solving skills. Being a member of the Gitxsan First Nation, Trevor has ample loyalty and respect for his culture, traditions, and personal values. This life experience has allowed him to become a strong energetic individual with a great knowledge of traditional first nations rights and laws, with the intelligence to advocate and manage with respect, integrity, righteousness, and appreciation which he displays in everything that he undertakes.
Vice President
Heather Fader
Heather has a diverse background in First Nation and Non-First Nation Organizations, and she has worked in public, private, large and small corporations and government. She has been working First Nations for the last 15 years in Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Governance, and Economic Development. Currently she has a consulting company offering a wide range of services to First Nations.
She recently completed her MBA in Indigenous Business and Leadership at SFU, she has her Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator (CAPA) Designation, is a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and is now pursuing a Certified Aboriginal Financial Management (CAFM) designation with AFOA Canada.
Heather has been a member of AFOABC since 2009 and continues to contribute her time, knowledge and experience to the growth and development of capacity, programs, services in First Nations.
In 2015, Heather was elected to the AFOABC Board of Directors and is the Board Secretary. She is on the Education Committee with the AFOABC and is dedicated to lifelong learning.
Heather Fader, MBA, CHRP, CAPA
Secretary
Sukhi Chouhan
CPA, CA, CAFM – Treasurer
Sukhi Chouhan is President of Chouhan Accounting Ltd.; with an office in Kamloops, BC. He was designated a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) in 2008 while working at KPMG. In 2015, he became a Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM) while working as a consultant with Skeetchestn Indian Band and Upper Nicola Indian Band. Mr Chouhan is a member of AFOA. Currently he provides services as Financial Controller – Consultant with Skeetchestn Indian Band and Chief Financial Officer – Consultant with Knucwentwecw Development Corporation in Skeetchestn, BC.
Sukhi assists Chief and Council with strategic planning and setting up for-profit partnerships in a tax effective manner. Sukhi is determined to make a difference by building trust and strong relations through educating his clients by communicating complex matters effectively, helping them to be more confident and self-sufficient. In 2016, Sukhi was elected to the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of British Columbia Board of Director and is the Treasurer for the Board. He chairs the Finance and Audit Committee with the AFOA BC Board of Directors and is dedicated to the betterment of the communities.
Treasurer
Teri Muldon
CAFM, Business Administration
Teri Muldon is a Finance Manager at the Skwah First Nation in Chilliwack. Previously, Teri worked as a Director of Finance with the Sts’ailes and Kitselas First Nations. She has 16 years of experience providing full cycle accounting and administrative services in a First Nation environment. While at Kitselas and Sts’ailes, Teri was an active member of the Finance and Audit Committees for nine years. Teri is a CAFM and her education also includes a diploma in Business Administration.
Teri grew up in Hazelton, B.C. and is a member of the Gitxsan Nation. Work attributes include: paying attention to detail; being thorough with a need to be accurate; ability to meet deadlines and prioritize tasks at hand; and finally, is professional and reliable.
During her personal time you will find Teri quilting or creating some sort of craft. Family is extremely important to her and takes every opportunity to spend time with them. Teri has a great sense of humour and gets along very well with peers.
Director
Our Staff
Wendy Ham, CPA, CGA, CAFM
Executive Director
Wendy Ham joined AFOA BC as their Executive Director in 2019. Wendy is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a Certified Aboriginal Finance Manager. She also holds a certificate in First Nation Tax Administration through the TULO Centre of Indigenous Economics and Thompson River University. Prior to her role at AFOA BC, Wendy was the Finance Manager and Tax Administrator for Sumas First Nation for 7 years. She has been a member of AFOA BC since 2014 and was part of the team at Sumas First Nation who received a Best Practices Award from AFOA BC in 2017.
Wendy’s experience in finance and administration is long and varied as she has worked in the post-secondary education and not-for-profit sectors. She is a firm believer in life-long learning and is happy to bring her experience, knowledge and curiosity to her current role and is honoured to work with all the First Nations in BC.
Executive Director
Krysta Elliott, B.A. Com
Capacity Development and Communications Manager
Krysta Elliott moved to Vancouver in May of 2007 to study Communications at Simon Fraser University. After graduating in 2011, her love for the mountains and ocean kept her here.
Pursuing her passion for writing is what lead her to choose Communications as a career. She remains inspired by the integration of technology in writing and marketing for business, driving her to continuously expand her skill set.
Krysta currently enjoys working and growing with her AFOA BC team and being part of an organization that strengthens First Nations communities through training and education.
Capacity Development and Communications Manager
Candise Cosgriff
Program Coordinator
Candise was born and raised in Richmond, BC, and is Wilp Ganada Nisga’a from Ging̱olx on her mother’s side, and of German/English descent on her father’s.
Candise became familiar with AFOA BC through her mother, Margaret Alexander, providing help at conferences over the years. Candise is a dedicated and loyal employee spending over 20 years in her previous two places of employment. She looks forward to this change with the familiarity of the AFOA BC team. Candise would also like to add the CAFM designation to her list of accomplishments.
Candise is a Canucks fan and loves supporting the team at home games. Family is very important to Candise, she loves her family fiercely, particularly her late mother and younger sister.
Candise’s love for travel began with a high school trip to France and Italy. She has since been to Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, England, Scotland, Ireland and several places in Eastern Canada and throughout the States. Candise is looking forward to checking more places off of her travel list with plans to go to Poland and Germany for Oktoberfest.
Candise can recite just about every line from Jurassic Park and is a big fan of the Harry Potter and Marvel movies.
Candise Johnston
Program Coordinator
In Memory
Margaret Alexander
February 23, 1959 – December 16, 2018
Office Coordinator
November 2007 – December 2018